NECO 2026 SSCE Results: Malpractice Drops by 64.74%, as English, Maths Pass Rate Falls to 58.67%

• NECO has released the 2026 Senior School Certificate Examination results, with 1,371,992 candidates sitting for the examination out of 1,378,048 registered candidates, comprising 678,903 males and 693,089 females.

• Only 804,948 candidates, representing 58.67 per cent, secured at least five credits including English Language and Mathematics, while 1,162,118 candidates, representing 84.70 per cent, obtained five credits and above without the requirement to pass the two core subjects.

• The council recorded a dramatic 64.74 per cent reduction in examination malpractice, with the number of candidates involved falling from 3,878 in 2025 to 1,406 in the 2026 examination, a decline of 2,472 cases.

• The results were released 63 days after the final paper, with 1,334 candidates with special needs participating in the examination as NECO said tighter monitoring and quality-control measures helped strengthen the integrity of the exercise.

September 24, () – The National Examinations Council (NECO) has released the results of the 2026 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) for school-based candidates, with the latest figures presenting a mixed outcome in academic performance and examination integrity.

While the council recorded a sharp 64.74 per cent reduction in examination malpractice, the proportion of candidates who obtained at least five credits including English Language and Mathematics fell to 58.67 per cent.

The results were announced on Thursday by the Registrar/Chief Executive of NECO, Prof. Dantani Wushishi, at the council’s headquarters in Minna, Niger State.

Wushishi said the results were released 63 days after the last paper of the examination, which was conducted for school-based candidates across the country and selected foreign centres.

According to him, 1,378,048 candidates registered for the 2026 SSCE, comprising 682,352 males and 695,696 females.

Of the registered candidates, 1,371,992 eventually sat for the examination. They comprised 678,903 males and 693,089 females.

The Registrar disclosed that 804,948 candidates, representing 58.67 per cent of those who sat for the examination, obtained five credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics.

A broader assessment of the results showed that 1,162,118 candidates, representing 84.70 per cent, obtained five credits and above irrespective of their results in English Language and Mathematics.

The distinction is significant because the 58.67 per cent figure applies the more demanding benchmark requiring credits in both English Language and Mathematics, while the 84.70 per cent figure counts candidates who obtained five credits without necessarily securing credits in the two subjects.

Pass Rate Falls From 60.26%

The 2026 results also showed a decline in the proportion of candidates meeting the five-credit benchmark that includes English Language and Mathematics.

In 2025, 818,492 candidates, representing 60.26 per cent, obtained five credits and above including the two subjects.

The corresponding figure for 2026 fell to 804,948 candidates, or 58.67 per cent. This represents a decline of 2.64 percentage points in the proportion of candidates meeting the benchmark.

The figures mean that while the majority of candidates who sat for the examination obtained at least five credits when the English Language and Mathematics requirement is excluded, a considerably smaller proportion met the five-credit threshold when both core subjects were included.

Malpractice Crashes By 64.74%

In a major positive development on examination integrity, NECO recorded a substantial reduction in malpractice cases.

Wushishi disclosed that 1,406 candidates were involved in various forms of examination malpractice during the 2026 examination. The figure represents a sharp decline from the 3,878 candidates recorded in 2025.

The reduction of 2,472 candidates translates to 64.74 per cent.

Wushishi attributed the improvement to intensified monitoring of the examination by members of the NECO Governing Board, management and senior staff of the council.

He reiterated the council’s zero-tolerance policy towards examination malpractice, stressing that standards were maintained from the planning stage through the conduct, marking, processing and release of the results.

The Registrar said the reduction was evidence of the impact of closer supervision and monitoring, while commending NECO personnel for their professionalism and commitment to maintaining the credibility of the examination.

He said the council’s staff had demonstrated intellectual rigour, attention to quality and commitment to ethical standards in ensuring that the results delivered to candidates and institutions remained credible.

1,334 Candidates With Special Needs Participate

The 2026 examination also recorded the participation of 1,334 candidates with special needs.

NECO said the candidates were accommodated as part of measures to ensure that students with special educational needs were able to participate in the national examination.

The examination involved candidates across Nigeria and selected international centres, making the exercise one of the major annual assessments of the academic performance of senior secondary school students.

The large number of candidates required the council to coordinate registration, examination administration, supervision, marking, verification and result processing across numerous centres.

The release of the results 63 days after the final examination paper also marked the completion of the council’s processing and quality-assurance procedures for the exercise.

Wushishi Thanks Tinubu, Stakeholders

Wushishi used the occasion to thank President Bola Tinubu for reappointing him for a second term as NECO Registrar and Chief Executive and for his continued confidence in the council.

He also acknowledged the contributions of the Minister of Education, the Minister of State for Education, members of the NECO Governing Board, security agencies, state governments, school authorities and other stakeholders involved in the successful conduct of the examination.

The Registrar said the outcome of the examination was the product of coordinated efforts across NECO’s directorates and departments.

He particularly commended the council’s workforce for what he described as professionalism, discipline and relentless pursuit of excellence.

According to him, the success recorded by the council was not accidental but resulted from sustained commitment to maintaining quality and ethical standards across the examination process

The 2026 NECO outcome therefore presents a contrasting picture: while the council recorded a dramatic 64.74 per cent fall in candidates involved in examination malpractice, the proportion of candidates meeting the five-credit benchmark including English Language and Mathematics declined from 60.26 per cent in 2025 to 58.67 per cent in 2026.